Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1887-07-16


her and revealing un suessed charms. 1t is SO
with all women, and more especially with u
woman of her stamp, whom nature has
made to love and be loved as maid
and wife and mother. Her undoubted
personal beauty also shared in this
development, her fair face taking richer
hue and her eyes an added depth and meaii-
ing. She was in every respect, save one, all
that a man could desire in his wife, and even
the exception was one that would have stood
to her credit with most men. 1t was this:
she was not an intellectual woman, although
she certainly possessed more than tlzs orSii-s
my share OF intelligence aud work a day
common sense. Now John was a decidedly
intellectual man, and, what is more, he highly
appreciated that rare quality i'll the other
SEX But after all, when one is just engaged
to sweet and lovely woman, one does not
think much about her intellect. Those sort
of reflections come afterward.
And so they sauntered hand in hand
through the sunny days AMI were exceedingly
happy. Least OF all did they allow the ru-
mors which occasionally reached them from
the great Boer gathering at Paarde Kraal to
disturb their serenity. There had been so
many of these rumors of rebellion that folk
were getting to regard them as a chronic
state Of affairs.
.NOh, the Boers!" said Bessie, with pretty
toss of her golden head, as they were sitting
one morning ON the veranla. "Tm sick to
death Of hearing about the Beers and all their
got up talk know what it is; it il just an
excuse for them to go away from their farms
and wives and children and idle about at
these great meetings, and. drink square face
with their mouths full of big words. You
see what Jess says in her last letter. People
i'm Pretoria believe that it is oil nonsense from
beginning to end, and think they are per-
fetily right"
'.By the way, Bessie, !" asked John, "have
you written to jess telling her of our engage
nieiitT'
'Oh, yes /; wrote some days ago, but the
letter only went yesterday. She will he
pleased to hear about it. Dear old jess,
wonder when she means to come home again.
She has been away long enough"
John made no answer, but went on smoking
bis pipe in silence. wondering il jess would
be pleased He did not understand her yet.
She had gone away just as he was beginning
to understand her.
Presently he observed Jantje sneaking
about between the orange trees as though he
wished to call attention to himself. Had he
not wanted to do so he would have moved
from one to the other in such a way that
nobody could have seen him. His partial and
desultory appearances indicated that he was
ON view. b
~C5me out Or those trees, you little rascal,
and stop slipping about like a snake in a stone
wall " shouted John. "what is it you want
wages Z"
Thus adjured, Jantje advanced and sat
down on the path US usual, in the full glare of
the sun.
4No, baas," he said," it is not wages. They
are not due yet"
"What Is it then?"
mo, baas, it is this. The Beers have
declared war on the English government, and
they have eaten up the rooibaatjes at Bron-
kers Spruit, near Middelburg. Joubert shot
them oil there the day before yesterday"
"What!" shouted John, letting his pipe fall
in his astonishment. "Stop, though, that
must be lie. You say near Middeiburg, the
day before yesterday; that would be Dec. 20.
When did you hear this!"
AT daybreak, baas. A Basutu told me-"
"Then there is an end of il. The news
could not have got here in t1irty-eiGht hours.
What do you mean by coming to me with
such a tale"
The Hottentot smiled. "It is quite true,
baas Bad news flies like biru," and he
picked himself up and slipped off to his
work.
Notwithstanding the apparent impossibility
of the thing, John was considerably dis
turbed, knowing the extraordinary speed
with which news does travel among katllrs;
more swiftly, indeed, than the swiftest
mounted messenger can bear, it. Leaving
Bessie, who was also somewhat alarmed, he
went in search of Silas Croft. and, finding
toll Ta,tf hal
sail The old man did not know what to
make of the tale, but, remembering Frank
Muller's threats, he shook his head.
"If there is any truth i'll it that villain Null
Ter has hand in it, he said. "I1i 60 to the
house and see Jantje. Give me your arm,
John"
He obeyed, and, on getting to the top Of
the steep path, perceived the stout figure of
old Hans Coetzee, who had been his host at
the shooting party, ambling along OH his fat
little pony.
"Ah,' said old Silas, "here is the man who
will tell us if there is anything in it all"
"Good day, ON CoCtzee, good day" be
shouted'out in his stentorian. tone. "What
news do you bring with you"
The jolly looking Boer rolled awkwardly
off his pony before eanswering, and, throwing
the reins over its head. came to meet them.
"Allemachter, Om Silas, it is bad new&'
Youhave heard of the bymakaas tmeetnga-
at Paarde Kraal. Frank Muller wanted me
to go, but, would not, and now they have
declared war ON the British government, and
sent proclamation to Lanyon. There will
be fighting, Om Silas; the.laDd will run with
blood and the poor roeinaatjes will be shot
down like buck"
"The poor Beers, you mean,"~ growled
John, who did not like to hear her majesty's
army talked of in terms of regretful pity.
ON Coetzee shook his head with the air of
one who knew all about it, and then turned
an attentive ear to Silas Croft's version of
Jantie's story.
"Allemachter" groaned Coetzee, what did
tell youi The poor rooibaatjes shot down
like buck, and the land running with blood.
And now that Frank Muller will draw me
into it, and l shall have to go and shoot the
poor rooibaatjes, and i can't miss; try as
hard as l will, can't mss. And when we
have shot them all suppose Burgers will
come back, and he is krankish (mad). Yes,
7 l. n -